If the Flames lose to the Avalanche in regulation tonight, the Golden Knights will clinch a playoff spot for the seventh time in eight seasons. The Golden Knights currently sit atop the Pacific Division with 98 points, leading the Los Angeles Kings by seven points.
The Golden Knights have nine games remaining on the schedule and are back in action on Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers, who they hold a nine-point lead over. Six of the Golden Knights' last nine games are against Pacific Division teams, and all but two are against teams fighting for a playoff spot.
If the playoffs started today, the Golden Knights would battle the Minnesota Wild in the first round. Due to their point percentage, they currently hold the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, tied with the St. Louis Blues with 87 points.
The postseason in the Western Conference is shaping up to be a gauntlet, with several teams capable of going on a long run.
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The NHL has levied a fine against Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola.
On Monday, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Mikkola had been fined $5,000 for what it calls “unsportsmanlike conduct” during Sunday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Montreal defeated Florida 4-2 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.
In the game’s final seconds, Mikkola had the puck on his stick in the Panthers defensive zone.
As time expired, Mikkola wound up and fired a blistering slapshot down the ice that nearly hit David Savard about 150 feet away.
Niko Mikkola ripped an absolute CLAPPER at the Habs at the buzzer and the Habs weren't having that 😳 pic.twitter.com/E2dHyzd7BM
The Canadiens players responded, understandably so, by going after Mikkola as officials attempted to usher the players to their respective locker rooms.
Mikkola was given a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct and a ten minute misconduct, according to the game’s official scoresheet.
It took less than 24 hours after the game had ended for the NHL to respond with the $5,000 fine, which is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.
We’ll see how Montreal responds when they host the Panthers Tuesday night at Bell Center.
Between the aforementioned animosity and how both teams are fighting for every point they can get in the standings, it should be a doozie.
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is five goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL goal record with odds increasing for it to happen versus the New York Islanders
The biggest storyline of the NHL season has by far been the GR8 Chase with Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin on the precipice of passing hockey legend Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goals record. There is nine games left in the Capitals season and Ovechkin is within five goals from breaking the record after scoring versus the Sabres this past Sunday.
The Russian winger now has 37 goals, and betting odds for the record to be broken this season have dropped drastically to -170 which means if you haven't taken it already like we suggest, you may have missed your last opportunity to take the bet at a bargain. However, today we look to outline a couple other options that you still can take to get in on the chase.
All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
In our last post about the GR8 Chase, we said to take the odds while you could at -136 and like we predicted the odds have continued to drop due to Ovechkin staying hot as the Capitals were heading into favourable matchups. Washington is still dominating with the league's best offence and seventh-best defence plus have the third-easiest remaining strength of schedule, according to Tankathon.
The case is starting to look more and more likely as they will play against bottom eight defences in their remaining games like the Blackhawks, Penguins and Bruins as well as two bouts with the Blue Jackets.
They will also face off twice against the Hurricanes, who is one of the top teams in the East but Ovechkin has his second-most career goals against. We don't see a ton of value in betting the record to be broken now but we can take a guess as to who it'll be against.
The Capitals will have a back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday with games versus the Bruins and Hurricanes, which should give us the ability to pencil in a goal or two there. We will need just four more goals after that and Washington will return home on Friday to take on one of the league's worst defences in the Blackhawks. A home matchup versus a Chicago team that has allowed a league-worst 83 goals over their last 20 games should spell for at least one goal for Ovi.
That takes us into next week with three goals to go and after a Sunday matchup versus the Islanders, Washington will get a lengthy four-day break before facing off against Hurricanes for a second time on Thursday. This game could be the most crucial as a much-needed goal here would leave him with two left and four games left to do it.
A pair of matchups versus the Blue Jackets should provide at least one goal and will leave us with one more to go with two matchups left versus the Islanders and Penguins.
Everyone is speaking into existence that Ovechkin will break the record in front of his longtime rival Sidney Crosby when taking on the Penguins and as much as the sports world would love to see it, I expect he gets the job done versus New York.
A random Tuesday night on the road in the Big Apple wouldn't be the most romantic setting for the record to be broken but could provide a massive spectacle with many flocking to the city, hoping to see Gretzky's record broken.
Ovechkin to break the record versus the Islanders or Penguins is listed at +490 and +600 odds respectively and both could be taken at not a high number and should provide a decent return if either hit.
The Blue Jackets have the highest odds at +280 but with how Ovechkin has slowed down with four goals over his last nine games, I don't expect him to break the record earlier then the final two games. The record being broken in New York should give us the best case scenario to cash in on some attendance bets for notable people attending the game.
Wayne Gretzky to be in attendance for the record-breaking goal isn't available on FanDuel but a longshot bet for someone who could be is former teammate Jaromír Jágr. The Hockey legend is still playing actively at 53 years old for the Czechia-based team he owns, Rytíři Kladno, but has been known to miss time and could again to see what will be a one-of-one legendary hockey moment.
A very special congratulations from Jaromir Jagr to Alex Ovechkin (plus a little surprise at the end). 😉 pic.twitter.com/HGgSlqRTaQ
Jagr and Ovechkin have been known to have a very close relationship with Jagr even sending a video to Ovechkin after he became the all-time leading goal scorer for European-born players and congratulating him on the achievement.
Welcome to The Weekly Rewind, a column published every Monday that recaps the past week of Vancouver Canucks hockey, including the team’s record, players with the highest stats, and more. This week, we’ll be looking at what the Canucks got up to from March 24 to 30, 2025.
Vancouver started the week with a Prime Monday Night Hockey matchup against the New Jersey Devils. Two of the three Hughes brothers skated in this game, with Quinn Hughes registering his highest number of minutes played in one game this season with 31:38. The Canucks made comeback after comeback, tying the game up with 36 seconds left in the third period and taking the match to a shootout. Vancouver ultimately won the game 4–3 off a confident shot by rookie Jonathan Lekkerimäki.
On Wednesday, Vancouver took on former Canuck Bo Horvat and the New York Islanders, scoring four-straight to take a 5–2 win. The bulk of this win came from a stellar performance by Thatcher Demko, particularly during the first period, as he stopped all 10 shots faced in the first frame. During the second period, Vancouver and New York combined to score five goals, with the Canucks escaping the second frame with the 3–2 lead. Kiefer Sherwood had two goals and an assist in the effort.
Friday night was a shootout for Vancouver in more than one sense — one, because they actually pushed the game to a shootout, and two, because both themselves and the Columbus Blue Jackets combined for 13 goals scored. The Canucks took an early 3–0 lead in the first period, but ultimately squandered this chance by the halfway point of the game. A Kent Johnson shootout goal gave Columbus the 7–6 win.
Heading into Sunday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets, the Canucks needed to add to their season point totals in order to contest the efforts of the St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames. A lone goal scored by Pius Suter was not enough for Vancouver to win, as they lost 3–1 to the Winnipeg Jets.
Most blocks: Quinn Hughes and Marcus Pettersson (7)
Facts
Kiefer Sherwood hits 400 hits in one season, becomes first NHL player to do so
Jonathan Lekkerimäki scores first career shootout goal
Pius Suter records an ongoing four-game point streak
The Canucks return to Vancouver for a three-game homestand that starts with a matchup against the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, with puck drop expected for 7:30 pm PT. They don’t play again until April 5, when they take on the Anaheim Ducks at 1:00 pm PT. The next day, they’ll play against the Vegas Golden Knights at 7:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.
The Kings are the NHL’s most dominant team on home ice this season. With a franchise-best home record of 27-4-4, L.A. has been a virtual lock at Crypto.com Arena.
The Kings boast a league-leading points percentage of .829 at home. The Kings' 83-percent penalty-kill rate and 1.94 goals against per game at home are huge factors in their success. If the Kings remain second in the Pacific Division, they can carry their home momentum into the first round of the playoffs, likely against the Edmonton Oilers.
Winnipeg Jets
As the top team in the Western Conference, much of the Jets' success this season is due to their play at home. Through 38 home games, the Jets hold a record of 28-6-4, which translates to an impressive .789 points percentage. The Jets boast the best home-ice power-play percentage, at 32.7 percent, and their 1.95 goals-against average is right up there with the Kings. It's safe to say you do not want to walk into Winnipeg's barn, as it's one of the toughest places to play.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have the most home-ice wins this season, with a record of 29-8-1. That’s good for a points percentage of .776, which ranks fourth in the NHL. Key factors in Carolina’s home success is the 85.2-percent penalty-kill rate and 3.74 goals-for per game, which ranks second in the league.
Dallas Stars
With a home record of 27-7-2, the Stars’ .778 points percentage trails only Los Angeles and Winnipeg. The Stars also have the best home-ice penalty kill, at 88.4 percent. Everything is bigger in Texas, including the team's ability to win on home ice. They’re trending toward holding home-ice advantage in the first round, leading the Colorado Avalanche by seven points.
Vegas Golden Knights
T-Mobile Arena has become one of the hardest places to play in the NHL. The Golden Knights have been stellar in their building over the past few seasons, and this one is no different. With a record of 27-7-3, the Golden Knights’ .770 points percentage ranks fifth in the NHL. Their 3.73 goals-for per game at home ranks third, while their 2.38 goals-against average ranks fifth.
It's one thing for Islanders fans, Devils fans – any NHL fans for that matter -- to put down the Rangers. In a sense, that's what rootring is all about. Root for your team but not the Blueshirts. It's the norm.
But something rare has happened this season. It began during the horrendous autumn slump suffered by the Blueshirts and grew from there.
Egad! What a cad! We have Rangers fans putting the rap on the team in unprecedented numbers and with the utmost intensity.
Insults such as "Fat Cats," "Quitters," ":Lazy" and – well, you get the point – have gone over the internet and under the table.
One of the most interesting examples of despair came by way of an email to The Maven from a lifetime Blueshirt supporter, author and – while he's at it – Ranger fan.
Having known Patrick Hoffman for years, I can vouch for his integrity and insights, not to mention his passion for the men skating in Blue.
That's why The Maven was taken aback when Hoffman wrote that his favorite team "does not deserve to make the postseason."
That utterance alone caused me to do a double-take but Pal Patrick was not kidding around. He supported his blasphemous remark this way.
"For starters, the effort has not been there on a nightly basis. Secondly, not enough players have stepped up for the team this season. Alexis Lafrenière's play this year has been particularly worrisome."
Then, he gave Mika Zibanejad a third-degree burn: "No one is quite sure what to make of him."
Nor did mistake-prone K'Andre Miller escape Hoffman's scythe. "He often looks lost in his own zone and no longer looks like an NHL-calibre defenseman."
Hoffman details the negatives as easy as he inhales and – no surprise – the blame for "poor defensive play" has to stop at coach Peter Laviolette's desk.
"Lastly," Hoffman concludes, "the team does not seem to want to make the playoffs."
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be aware that The Maven is not disputing Patrick's point. What I do challenge is his statement that the Rangers DO NOT DESERVE TO MAKE THE POSTSEASON.
How dare he utter a seditious statement such as that?
Checking through the NHL's Constitution, I find no clause devoted to whether or not a team "deserves" to get into the postseason
The Rangers either will get in or not get in based on their won-lost record from here to April 17th. "Deserving" is not the issue here. No way!
Here's my clincher. As a passionate Maple Leafs fan during the 1948-49 season, I was sad that the defending Champs barely squeezed into the playoffs with an UNDER.500 RECORD.
But they made it to the postseason and nobody – certainly not I was running around saying, "The Leafs don't deserve getting into the playoffs. The point is that Toronto got in and the city was glad.
Like others, I hoped for the best when the playoffs – the brand, new season – began.
Well, guess what? My Leafs knocked off the Bruins in a five-game semi-final and then humiliated the first-place Red Wings with a four-game sweep.
Just like today's Rangers, those Leafs were assailed by doubters. After sipping champagne following the clincher, Leafs right wing explained:
"Anybody who knew us knew the Leafs were much better than we showed in the regular season. We weren't a below .500 club really. Anybody who considered us that way was way out of their minds"
Yeah, Patrick, Meeker and his fellow Leafs deserved to make the postseason and win their third straight Stanley Cup as well.
Give it a little thought, Pal, and after your Beloved Blueshirts beat Minnesota on Wednesday night, lemme know if you change your mind.
The Nashville Predators announced Monday morning that they will be without two key members of their veteran forward group for that evening's road game against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Per the team, Colton Sissons is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury, while Jonathan Marchessault is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The update on Sissons is not surprising, considering the 31-year-old exited during the first period of Saturday's loss to the Vegas Golden Knights after sustaining what appeared to be a gruesome leg injury.
The cause and severity of Marchessault's injury remain unknown, and it is unclear whether he will play for the Predators in Tuesday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Marchessault has struggled offensively of late, recording just one assist in his last 10 outings. He has 19 goals, 49 points and 76 hits in 73 games this season.
With Marchessault Sissons unavailable Monday in Philadelphia, it's likely we could see Jakub Vrana and Matthew Wood draw into the lineup for Nashville. Vrana has one goal in five games for the Predators since being claimed off waivers from the Washington Capitals on March 6 and hasn't appeared in a game since Nashville's March 20 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Wood, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Predators over the weekend after his junior collegiate season with the Minnesota Golden Gophers came to an end with a loss to UMass Amherst in the NCAA Tournament. The injuries to Sissons and Marchessault could cause Wood to make his NHL debut sooner than anticipated, unless the Predators decide to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen Monday in Philadelphia.
Sam Rinzel and Oliver Moore might have been part of a losing effort in their debuts for the Chicago Blackhawks against the Utah Hockey Club, but they impressed, especially Rinzel.
Right away, Rinzel looks like a defenseman that is fully capable of stepping right into the NHL and not playing a single game in the AHL, and that is likely what will happen. He was arguably the most impactful defenseman for the Blackhawks in his first NHL game and head coach Anders Sorensen said, "I think Rinzel had a real attack mindset. I think he had four grade A chances offensively. Did a lot of good things."
He looked smart, shifty, and creative, all what is going to make him a strong top pairing d-man for a long time in the NHL. While it may seem like this is jumping the gun, the 20-year-old was drafted in the first round and has only gotten better at a great rate since joining the Blackhawks' organization.
Frank Seravalli also shares the same sentiment towards Rinzel, mentioning that, "Sam Rinzel will not play a single game in the AHL... he projects to be a top pair NHL defenseman."
This is a different situation than with past high drafted defensemen such as Kevin Korchinski and Artyom Levshunov. The Blackhawks had to make a choice on Korchinski and he wouldn't have gotten the right development in the CHL again, so after playing out his first season in the NHL, he took a step back for better development in the AHL for a chunk of this season. Levshunov played a year in the NCAA and dominated, but he is still two draft years later than Rinzel and along with an early injury and a roster a bit too full of veterans, there wasn't the space.
Rinzel got a couple of years playing against men in college and excelled. The Blackhawks' youth movement is also in full effect as the veterans have been pushed out.
Rinzel has the capability of being the most impactful defenseman for the Blackhawks, but will have competition, which is great for the team long-term. He has a handful of games left this season to showcase himself for next season, and I don't anticipate anything keeping him from earning the spot in the NHL in training camp next season and sticking.
It's been an up-and-down season for Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry.
The 29-year-old played in the AHL after struggling through the first half of the schedule. Recalled in early March, he rattled off four straight wins. On Sunday, he got his first shutout of the season in a 1-0 win over the Ottawa Senators.
Mark Madden of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Reviewrecently wondered if Jarry had done enough to save his career with the Penguins. He doubted his recent performance would improve his value in this summer's trade market.
Madden believes the Penguins can't afford to keep Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic, who has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $2.5 million. Jarry is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $5.375 million.
Buying out Jarry would only count as $1.747 million against the Penguins' salary cap for next season. However, that cap hit rises to just over $5 million in 2026-27 and $4.5 million in 2027-28, dropping to just $797,000 annually for the remaining three years of the buyout.
D'Amico indicated Oilers GM Stan Bowman sought to bolster his depth at center with someone who'd be more than a playoff rental. Pageau, 32, is signed through next season with a cap hit of $5 million. He also has a 16-team no-trade list.
The Islanders reportedly spurned the offers because they didn't want to retain salary and weren't interested in a return of draft picks. That could remain their position with Pageau if the Oilers or other clubs make trade inquiries this summer.
Speaking of the trade deadline, Scott Powers of The Athletic thinks some teams might be kicking themselves for not offering the Chicago Blackhawks a first-round pick for Ryan Donato.
The 28-year-old center is enjoying a career-best performance with 29 goals and 59 points in 72 games. He's reportedly sitting on a three-year contract offer worth $4 million annually.
Powers believes Donato could be interested in returning to the Boston Bruins if he goes to market. He's a Boston native who began his career with the Bruins. The Blackhawks hope he'll recognize that the top-six minutes and power-play time he's getting in Chicago won't be available to him on better clubs.
During Sunday's TSN broadcast between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators, announcer Gord Miller pointed out that Sidney Crosby, who ranks 10th all-time in assists, has set up a player's first NHL goal on 14 occasions.
The Penguins captain ranks second all-time behind Wayne Gretzky, who had assists on 18 first-career goals during his 20 seasons in the league. Although the NHL doesn't officially recognize this record, Crosby is just four helpers away from tying the Great One.
Considering the influx of talent in the Penguins system, including recent call-ups Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen, Crosby may have plenty of opportunities to set up one of the young guns for their first NHL goal.
If that moment occurs, that player or players will join a list that includes the following players:
Given his history, Crosby tends to set up first career goals in bunches. It's been over four years since he registered his last assist on a first goal, which means the captain is due.
Will we see one before the end of this season, or can he collect a couple during the 2025-26 season?
Even though the league would not officially recognize his achievement, it would still be a fun fact on his already Hall of Fame-worthy resume.
With the playoffs right around the corner, every team in the NHL is feeling the pressure.
The Detroit Red Wings sit outside the second Wild Card position in the Eastern conference, currently occupied by the Montreal Canadiens. Even if they don’t admit it, they feel pressure to secure their first playoff berth since the 2015-16 season.
Teams that have already secured a playoff position are fighting tooth and nail to get a more advantageous placement before the playoffs begin. Home ice advantage can be a huge difference maker, so winning as many regular season games beforehand is imperative.
Last weekend, the Red Wings were embarrassed by the Vegas Golden Knights, to the tune of a 6-3 loss. After the loss was official, they made a late night (early Sunday morning) move in sending down defender Brogan Rafferty to the AHL.
Trey Augustine had himself a night that weekend as well. The Red Wings goalie prospect was a significant contributor to Michigan State securing another Big Ten Title.
The Grand Rapids Griffins secured an extra body to help them with their playoff run. The organization brought over prospect Emmitt Finnie, who finished his season with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL.
But then, the organization got some bad news. In the opening minutes of their contest against the Utah Hockey Club, goaltender Petr Mrazek was injured. He has not returned to game action since then.
Injury was added to injury shortly after. Goalie Cam Talbot was unavailable to the Red Wings against the Colorado Avalanche due to injury, so they emergency recalled Sebastian Cossa from the Griffins to fulfill backup goaltender duties.
After losses to the Avalanche and Ottawa Senators, Cossa was returned to the Rapids due to a healthy Talbot.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored the overtime winner against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, his 24th career extra-period goal, which is second all-time behind Alex Ovechkin, who has 27.
Considering Crosby has scored a regular season goal against every team, we thought it was time to look at which teams the captain scored an overtime goal against.
Crosby has scored an overtime goal against 16 teams and is still waiting to find the back of the net versus Boston, Calgary, Carolina, Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minnesota, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, and Vegas.
He's never scored a game-winning goal against San Jose, St. Louis, and Vegas. Crosby ranks 12th overall all-time with 97 game-winners and first in Penguins history ahead of Evgeni Malkin (86), Jaromir Jagr (78), and Mario Lemieux (74).
Crosby scored one career overtime goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs on May 16, 2016, against the Tampa Bay Lightning at PPG Paints Arena, then CONSOL Energy Center.
Of course, there's no talking about Crosby and overtime magic without mentioning his Golden Goal from the 2010 Olympics, one of hockey's most memorable moments.
Before retiring, will Crosby catch Ovechkin for the NHL record regarding regular-season overtime goals?
Longtime Kings broadcaster Nick Nickson puts on his headset before calling a game between the Kings and New York Rangers on March 25. Nickson, who has called Kings games since 1981, is retiring at the end of the season. (Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
Don’t think of this as Nick Nickson’s final season behind the microphone for the Kings. Think of it as an encore.
Nickson planned to be golfing by now. He planned to be following his grandkids, Casey and Avery, to their games and attending the birthday parties and anniversaries he had to miss in more than five decades as a hockey broadcaster.
The Kings had other plans, summoning Nickson to a meeting in the summer of 2023 where he worried he might be fired before he could tell them he was ready to retire. Instead the Kings told Nickson, their longtime radio voice, they wanted him to simulcast the radio and TV calls. And they wanted a two-year commitment.
“Had it not been for the change, last year might have been my last,” he said.
Nick Nickson calls a game between the Kings and New York Rangers at Crypto.com Arena on March 25.
The fact it wasn’t makes this season positively, absolutely the last one. (We think.) At 71, Nickson says he has too much he wants to do and not nearly enough time between games in which to do it, so his career will end when the Kings’ season does.
“I’m doing this on my own terms, which I’m grateful for,” he said during an hourlong lunch that was heavy on remembrances and void of regrets. “Some people around the league said ‘Nick why? You still sound so good.’ And yeah I appreciate that.
“But I want to be able to enjoy doing what I want while I’m still healthy. The timing is right.”
The Kings will honor Nickson when they play host to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, a tribute he believes will be heartfelt even though it’s April Fool’s Day.
“I thought of that when they mentioned April 1st, ” Nickson said. “But because so many people are preparing for it, I don’t think it’s going to be a joke. I think it will actually happen.”
Stage manager Donna Moskal points to the camera as Kings broadcasters Jim Fox, left, and Nick Nickson, right, rehearse for a game broadcast.
In his 44 seasons with the Kings, Nickson says he has called more than 3,800 games while narrating the rise of hockey in a desert. He watched the Triple Crown line of Charlie Simmer, Marcel Dionne and Dave Taylor; welcomed Wayne Gretzky to L.A.; and saw Jim Fox, Daryl Evans and Jarret Stoll move from the ice into the broadcast booth.
Two other players, Luc Robitaille and Rob Blake, went from Nickson’s broadcasts into the Kings’ front office as president and general manager, respectively.
“For the culture of a franchise to have people that have been around a long time, it means a lot,” said Robitaille, now Nickson’s boss. “You have your core fans that follow the team and when they’ve been listening to Nick Nickson for all these years they’re part of the family. It’s hard to describe.
“Everybody grew up listening to them and then next thing you know, they get married and they have kids, and they’re still listening. I hear those stories over and over.”
That’s because Nickson described more than just hockey. He did the play-by-play of history, calling the Kings’ two Stanley Cup championships. His radio call of the final six seconds of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final is arguably the franchise’s most memorable moment.
“The long wait is over! After 45 years, the Kings can wear their crown!”
Nick Nickson prepares a script before a game between the Kings and Rangers on March 25.
Nickson’s Hall of Fame career — he became the third Kings broadcaster, after Bob Miller and Jiggs McDonald, to be enshrined when he was voted in by his peers in 2015 — began with the minor league Rochester Americans a year after he graduated from Ithaca College, where he served as sports director for the school’s radio station. Two years later he began calling games for the New Haven Nighthawks, the New York Rangers’ AHL affiliate.
That’s where he got the break that changed his life. The Rangers, who had a player-development agreement with the Nighthawks, briefly ended the relationship in 1981 and the Kings, who were looking for an AHL partner, moved in. The Kings needed more than just a minor league affiliate, however.
Pete Weber had left his seat next to Miller, creating an opening in the broadcast booth. Kings coach Parker MacDonald knew Nickson from his time in New Haven, and though MacDonald wouldn’t last the season behind the bench, he was there long enough to push Nickson for the job.
With the move West, Nickson joined perhaps the most storied and iconic group of sports broadcasters ever assembled in one city. In addition to Miller, Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrín were calling Dodgers games, Chick Hearn was doing the Lakers, Tom Kelly was on USC football and Ralph Lawler soon moved north from San Diego with the Clippers.
All six are Hall of Famers. Yet Nickson, the youngest of the group at 27, fit in immediately.
“He was just great to be around,” Miller said. “Nick was always so well prepared. Great player identification. Kept up with the play, all the fundamentals.”
But the key to his success and that of the other Hall of Famers was stability, Nickson said. Scully and Jarrín both spent more than six decades with the Dodgers. Hearn and Lawler did 41 seasons with Lakers and Clippers, respectively. Nickson, meanwhile, is retiring after 44 seasons with the Kings, the same as Miller, who retired in 2017.
Nick Nickson calls a game at Crypto.com Arena between the Kings and Rangers on March 25. The Kings will honor Nickson before Monday's game against the Jets.
“It’s unusual that a broadcaster stays with one team for a number of years. The era of broadcasters sticking with one team for 40, 50 years is probably gone,” said Nickson, whose time with the Kings was measured in a series of short-term contracts that were always renewed. “You have that connection. It’s just a comfort level.”
“What we’ve had to offer and how we’re presented the game, I think it has educated [people] into being a more appreciative hockey fan,” he added. “That only is natural if you’re in that space for that long.”
As a result, giving up the job — and the game — after five decades won’t be easy. Just ask Miller, who was at a Kings game last weekend shortly after surgery for an aneurysm.
“You know, I still miss doing play-by-play,” he said. “There are certain games I’ll be watching on TV and my wife will say, ‘Do you miss that?’ I don’t miss preparation these days, with players changing teams and so many teams. But there are times I’d watch the game and say, ‘Yeah, I’d like to be doing the play-by-play.’”
As for Nickson, “well, he’s a golfer,” Miller said. “He’s got grandkids. So I don’t think he’ll have any problem getting used to it.”
Nickson has one confession he’d like to make before signing off the final time, though. That memorable call at the end of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs? He worked on that ahead of time.
The Kings were so dominant that spring, Nickson was confident they would win before the final series with the New Jersey Devils even started.
“That’s when I came up with what I eventually said,” he remembered.
Nick Nickson takes a brief break in the broadcast booth before a game between the Kings and Rangers on March 25.
But the genius wasn’t in the words, it was in the timing, with Nickson pronouncing the word “crown” as the final horn sounded.
He’s had nearly two seasons now to think about how he’ll end the final broadcast of his 44-year career, one that draws closer with every passing game.
“Maybe,” he finally offered, “I should that say ‘After 44 years the long wait is over.’”
It’s been almost 20 years since the Boston Bruins’ own first-round draft pick landed in the top five, but that streak might end this season as the Original Six franchise continues to tumble in the NHL standings amid a seven-game losing streak.
The B’s are in free fall right now. They just wrapped up a four-game Western Conference road trip plus an away game against the Detroit Red Wings and went 0-5-0.
The Bruins entered Monday tied with the Buffalo Sabres — yes, the same Sabres team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2011 — for the sixth-worst record in the league based on points percentage (.466). Based on actual points, the B’s are tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for the sixth-worst record (69 points).
Securing a top-five pick is a very real possibility for the Bruins. They haven’t done that since 2006 when they selected forward Phil Kessel at No. 5 overall.
Before we get into what needs to happen for the Bruins to have a top-five selection, here’s a look at their current NHL Draft Lottery odds, per Tankathon.
No. 1 pick: 6.5 percent chance
No. 2 pick: 6.7 percent
No. 3 pick: 0.2 percent
No. 7 pick: 44.4 percent
No. 8 pick: 36.5 percent
No. 9 pick: 5.6 percent
So, right now, the most likely spot for the Bruins to land in the lottery is the No. 7 pick, although they could jump as high as No. 1 and as low as No. 9.
What needs to happen for the Bruins to land a top-five pick? Well, they need to continue losing and get some help from a few other teams winning. More specifically, the B’s need the Seattle Kraken, Philadelphia Flyers and Sabres to win as many games as possible.
The Kraken and Sabres both have very tough remaining schedules, which isn’t good for Boston. The Flyers have the second-easiest remaining schedule and have won back-to-back games since firing head coach John Tortorella last Thursday.
Here’s the remaining strength of schedule for teams No. 4 through No. 10 in the current draft order, per Tankathon. The higher the rank, the tougher the schedule.
No. 4, Kraken: 4th
No. 5, Flyers: 31st
No. 6, Sabres: 3rd
No. 7, Bruins: 22nd
No. 8, Penguins: 24th
No. 9, Ducks: 5th
No. 10, Islanders: 8th
As we’ve noted before, the top 10 of the upcoming draft is pretty strong, and there are several high-end center prospects, which is good for the Bruins due to their severe lack of strength at that position.
Michael Misa (Saginaw), James Hagens (Boston College), Anton Frondell (Sweden) and Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton) are among the centers worthy of a top-10 pick. Misa would be the ideal pick for the B’s. He has 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games in the OHL this season. But he’ll probably be gone by the No. 2 or No. 3 pick. Frondell is an excellent option, too, but might not make it past pick No. 5.
The difference between the No. 4 or No. 5 pick and the No. 7 or No. 8 pick is a large one, whether the Bruins want to keep the pick or potentially look to package it for an impact player who can help right away.
The goal for the Bruins over the next two weeks should be losing as many games as possible and bolstering their odds of winning the draft lottery next month. Nobody likes to lose, but this path is what’s best for the short- and long-term health of the organization.
The Los Angeles Kings defeated the San Jose Sharks 8-1 on Sunday night.
San Jose is coming off a 6-1 loss at the hands of the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Adrian Kempe and Warren Foegele scored two goals for the Kings, while Phillip Danault, Trevor Moore, Trevor Lewis, and Andrei Kuzmenko scored the other goals for LA. David Rittich made 22 saves.
Cam Lund scored his second NHL goal and second goal in as many nights. Marc-Edouard Vlasic returned from an upper-body injury. Georgi Romanov made 28 saves.
As the power-play wound down, Kempe netted his 30th goal of the season at 15:`13. Anze Kopitar fed a pass to the top of the crease that Kempe one-timed through Romanov's five-hole.
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